Broken Boundaries
by Tigerdust
Summary: Sequel to the "Someone" saga. If you think things were easy before, well you were just wrong. Dead wrong. Janto with some implied innuendo. Obviously, I mean it's me writing after all.
1. Chapter 1

Creator's Notes:

Chap. 1: Boggling

Disclaimers and General Squees: I absolutely adore my newest friend Pip for betaing and giving me the best in British/Wales references to use (make us both smile and read some of her work, please-there are Janto brownies and coffee involved) and for Dan, my ever vigilant guardian reviewer who keeps me on my toes!

You should know (and by now you do hopefully) that I am not RTD, BBC, JB, GDL, or any affiliates (etc, etc, etc as Yul Brenner would say in the King and I). Neither am I the creator or subsidiary of Milton Bradley Inc. or any other game play whatsoever (except for this one really stupid game I made in math in high school called Superopoly-long story).

--On With the Show!--

The tempo of the light evening rain clings to my hair, dripping down to my boots. As I patrol the streets of Cardiff, seeking out menacing forms of life, my eyes sweep toward each innocent brow, looking for that subtle clue I need. The clue to begin the chase. After all, when you are with Torchwood, the chase is your life.

Finally, lit from above; it pops out at me. Neon signs and concentrated color beckon me forward toward my ultimate goal. The shopkeeper is an older man, seeing and knowing many things in his years on the planet. Each second that passes is another second too many. My eyebrows arch, an innocent dance of show and tell. Carl, for that is what the name tag implies, shakes his head, steady and unwavering.

My hands point and his eyes do not flinch in surprise. I hand the man money for his trouble. Coin; the common denominator on planet Earth. Also on this planet Earth there are three places I love almost more than anything. First is the Hub, where I see Ianto every day. Second is the Winchester Club, where I used the stopwatch once with Ianto to time shots, and the third is my current destination, Ianto's apartment.

"Jack, you brought me tulips? You know how I love tulips!"

"Of course, Ianto. Do you think I'd forget our three month anniversary?"

"It's been three months, hasn't it?" Ianto takes his pocket watch out of its protected pocket and admires it momentarily before opening the case, as if the watch displayed more than time. Of course, it does, his face seems to say inaudibly, it's a symbol of our commitment.

"Your place looks amazing."

"Yes, I'd say so. It's interesting what you can do with something even after a fire."

There is a knock on the door. "Now who could that be?"

His grin gives him away. "Jack, what did you do?"

His hands go forward in mock prayer. "Me, why I didn't do a thing! I might have just happened to drop a hint or two about your apartment being done."

"Naughty, Jack. I haven't even got a bottle set to chill."

Muffled sounds arose behind the door, but Ianto didn't have to strain to hear Gwen's voice. "Ianto, come on, let us in! We've got cake and wine!"

Jack almost burst into laughter, and covered his mouth. Ianto whispered to Jack. "_On my new carpet? They must be joking_."

Owen's demanding voice sounded off next. "Don't just leave us out here. Some of us have to use the loo."

"Shove it, Owen! You didn't have to stay in the kitchen and watch me make every dish."

"Quality control, Gwen. Quality control."

"No, it's called stuffing yourself silly." Ianto imagined the glare Gwen was surely giving Owen.

"_I am so gonna get you for this_." Ianto worked his way towards the door, using a subtle shift in deportment before he opened it. "Hello, everyone! Kitchen is this way."

"_Promises, promises." _Jack made sure to give Ianto's elbow a little squeeze so he wouldn't forget Jack was there. Like Ianto would ever forget such a thing. "I'll be your tour guide this evening." Jack clasps his hands behind his back as the team peeks out from the kitchen.

A short while later, Ianto and Jack sit on the couch surrounded by tiny plates of croquets and other such things. The three teams are huddled around a vintage coffee table, flanked by pleasantly red lamps that hit the lemon yellow wall at just the right angle.

"Revian!"

"That's not a word, Jack." Owen's eyes squinted in Jack's direction.

"Use it in a sentence." Tosh looked forward, interested in how Jack was going to pull this off.

"Okay." Jack breathed in unnecessarily and then spilled out a sentence with much bravado. "The tiki torch cast a revian glow on the luau."

"That's not how you play Boggle, Jack!" Owen's face made a slight grimace.

"I think it's alright, Owen. He's foreign, after all."

"You would think so, _**Jones**_."

"You're just jealous." Ianto looked into Jack's eyes, bemused at the turn of this evening's events and just slightly buzzed from his fourth glass of champagne. There's something so mystical and seducing about Jack's unassuming smile, Ianto thinks dreamily.

"Ianto, did you get any words?" Tosh pats his arm, reviving him from his daydream.

"What? Oh, um, Deviant."

"Ouch. That's brilliant. Didn't catch that, did we, Gwen?"

"Speak for yourself, Rhys. Got that right away."

"Bloody hell! We would've won the game with that!"

"It's hard when you play against Jones." Jack squeezed the younger man's knee, causing Ianto to smile for a brief second and jump just a little.

"I'll file that under things I never want to know again, Jack." Owen grimaced for the second time that evening.

Ianto's cell phone went off and he got up to retrieve it. Jack sprawled out just a bit, allowing his arm to glide over where Ianto had sat, for when he came back.

"Oh, dear. Best not to get too comfortable, Jack."

"Rift activity?"

"I'm afraid so." Ianto took out a sleek Stylus pen and began tapping the screen of his new phone; "Seems like we've got a pair of Weevils heading on two different trajectories. One is moving towards the Millennium Center and the other going a different direction."

"I'll clean up. You all go out and catch your aliens and whatever else it is." Rhys stood, offering his services to Ianto with upturned hands.

"Thanks, but no, Rhys. I'll take care of it. It's part of what I do."

"I'll see you when you get home, then." Gwen kissed Rhys on the cheek, eyes casting a sidelong glance at Jack, who was paying absolutely no attention to her, but thinking about necessary weaponry in his coat.

"Of course."

"I'll try to be in before you leave for work."

"Don't count on it, Gwen. Ready folks?"

"Great party, Ianto," Tosh offered as she walked through the open door.

"Yes, let's do it again soon." Jack smiled as they left and Ianto locked the door behind them all.

Gwen and Jack headed back towards the Hub while Tosh, Owen, and Ianto headed towards the factory district, following the second weevil.

"I'm still stuck on how you got deviant from that puzzle." Owen tapped his pen against the passenger's side dash board and then briefly chewed the middle just a bit.

"It's not that difficult, Owen. Really, you're just not a Boggle type person. There's no shame in that."

"Well, at least we weren't playing for booze or anything important."

"Ah, I've got it on satellite tracking." Tosh interjected.

"Which direction?"

"Head northeast."

"Right. Guess this is the end of the road then?" Ianto peeked out in front of the window, checking for the non-existent rain that had occurred earlier in the evening.

"At least it's not raining anymore." Owen gave a satisfactory smirk and they all piled out of the vehicle, a scream lashing through the night air.

"We'd best get to that weevil before it can do too much damage."

"Let's hope that applies to us as well, then." Owen gave a quick glance around and then cocked his weapon and the laborious search began.

The plaza was abandoned as Jack tracked the weevil on Ianto's mobile phone, promising not to drop his new toy in Cardiff Bay. He and Gwen set off in opposite directions, planning to track and trap the alien at the same moment. The weevil had erratic movement patterns, angry and harsh. He ran about flagrantly, as if begging to be caught. Normally, weevils weren't such blatant creatures.

The other half of the team criss-crossed different layers of the factory district, moving past alleys and dark shop fronts. Tiny puddles splashed behind their heels as the weevil let out another cry.

"Jack, we've found our weevil." Ianto turned away while Tosh and Owen examined the creature and prepared it for transport.

"So have we, Ianto."

"Is yours still alive?"

"I'm not sure. We think it might be sleeping."

"Ianto!" Owen waved him back to the body. "Have you ever seen anything like this before?"

"Jack, look on the neck of your weevil."

"What am I looking for?" Gwen turned the head of the weevil, slightly puzzled.

"Is that? A brand in the shape of a bug?"

"Not just a brand, it's green, Jack."

"But weevils don't have green blood."

"We need everyone back at the lab now."

"I think we get that, sir." In the background, Ianto could hear Owen asking Tosh to move a little quicker.


	2. Chapter 2

Creator's Note:

At this point, I'm working without a beta net. 12 hour days do not for a good beta reader make. I do love ya, Pip, but I couldn't wait any longer. So, hopefully this all doesn't sound too American, nor is it rubbish. Usually, it's not rubbish.

This will be your last disclaimer for the story so that I don't intrude much longer. You should know I am not a famous singer, but I am borrowing some songs in an upcoming chapter or two and hence, I am not a famous artist and I don't claim to be. Maybe someday, maybe this planet. One never knows. But it's not right now. I mean no infringement whatsoever and I hope the artists would be flattered with the use of their works. That being said...

--On With the Show!--

"How long will they stay out?"

"It's hard to tell really. Alien sedatives and all that."

"Meeting. Board room. Five minutes." Jack pushed his palm slightly in front of Owen's face just to show how serious he was as he stormed out of the cell block. He shook his head. First, the pill pushers, then farmers, and now...branders? Why does everyone pick on the Weevils? Now, granted they aren't the most intelligent of species, but that doesn't give anyone a license to pick on them.

Most of his anger had fluctuated into action by the time he found himself entering the board room, Gwen waiting patiently.

"What do you want?"

"Do I always have to want something?"

"Well, have you found anything useful out?"

"No, but seeing as how you stormed up to your office in a daze and then made a beeline for this room, I was wondering if you'd found anything."

"I'd say we're all in the dark here." Tosh entered the room with her normal light foot steps.

"What we know is that the sedative is alien in origin and is enriched by nitrogen-enriched oxygen, courtesy of planet Earth. Poor bastards; probably about as close to getting high as they can get."

"Since when did you sympathize with weevils, Owen?"

"Since he became their lord and master." Ianto closed the door behind him with his foot while laying the coffees down on the side table.

"Well, let's start with the facts. First is the shape of the mark."

"The mark represents an alien beetle named the Markovian acid beetle. We have a similar species on this planet that protects itself by shooting a toxin out of its backside that acts very much like fire."

"And the color of the brand?"

"Well, the tests all show that it's nothing more than a high-grade alien sedative. Whoever is doing this knows just what they are doing, and most likely paid a pretty penny for such sedative."

"And why put it in a brand?"

"The effect has to be absorbed, otherwise it would have just killed the weevils."

"So: We are looking for an alien that knows how and where to get this stuff, presumably deals with it all the time. Any ideas?" Eyes darted all around the room, everywhere but where Jack was. He scratched under his chin and licked his lips briefly. "Okay, I'm really sick of everyone messing with wayward aliens. Any ideas? Shoot it off the top of your head, out your ass, just give me something guys?"

"Okay, well, how about this? It's a sedative, so they possibly will wake up. However, if Owen implants an alien tracer into the skin then it's possible we could track them back to the nest?"

"Would that work?"

"In theory, yes. Presumably, the sedative is there in brand form to let other aliens know who these weevils belong to, and also it's not fed in toxic doses, so it may mean they have just escaped their master. Much like cattle, I suppose."

"Do we want to send them back into that situation?"

"It won't be for very long."

Jack sighed. "I suppose not. Let's get to work on this. Gwen, see if any humans have been filed away with any such "tattoo". Owen and Tosh, you work together to perfect these little trackers. I don't want anything going wrong. Ianto, find out which artifact they need and get it. Then bring me some coffee. It's been a long night."

"Yes, sir." Everyone went to their dutiful tasks and Jack was watching the proceedings from his office's hawk view when Ianto tapped on the door. He went to his desk and flipped through paperwork, muttering come in, just loudly enough for Ianto to hear.

Ianto moved soundlessly and swiftly to Jack's side. He set the coffee down gently and Jack closed his eyes. The younger man's presence filled Jack as he came closer, inch by struggling inch. He released a sigh as Ianto's fingers moved from his forearms to his shoulders, tracing the lines of tension with the kiss of his skin.

His lips darted under Jack's ear and nibbled slightly on the skin of his neck, blowing a hot breath on the back of his neck as well. Jack titled backwards and met Ianto in a hard, exhausted kiss. He reached for Ianto's tie as he rocked backwards, his feet extending to reach over the pile of papers he had pretended to look at. The silk tie rustled through his hand, and Jack's finger's moved upwards to feel Ianto's heart beating. The pressure of Jack's fingers on his skin made the beat just that much faster.

Tosh's voice called from the Hub. "Jack, we have everything ready!"

Ianto whispered _later_ into Jack's ear as he readjusted his tie and walked back out of the office. Jack took a few seconds more and joined the team as they conversed near the computers.

"So, the weevils are all outfitted?"

"Didn't even put up a fight, thanks to yours truly."

"I'm sure you're a lifesaver Owen."

"Jack, since they appeared in the Rift split up, should we release them together?"

Jack bit down on his lip as he thought. "It might be better for them to wake up in separate locations and then find their way back I suppose."

"Fancy this as a trap?"

"No, the Rift is randomized. I don't know of anyone, _not even the Doctor,_ who'd be able to finesse the rift like that."

"Even so, let's take precautions. Lord knows we don't want to go into a trap with bells on or anything."

"Right. Owen, Tosh, and Gwen; go ahead and take the first weevil back to the bay and Ianto and I will trace the second back to the factory. Keep in contact at all times."

"Wait...why are we...?"

"_Just leave it, Gwen. You wouldn't get any sleep doing surveillance with Jack._"

"_And sleep will be the worst of our problems if you start arguing with a cranky Jack_."

There must have been an hour left on the sedative after they dumped the body back where it had fallen and discretely began the systems in the nondescript Torchwood SUV.

"I need a five letter word for arrogant."

"How many letters does..."

"Watch it."

"I'm only teasing Owen."

"That teasing's not very nice, you know. I'm just a bored man trying to finish a crossword. My defenses aren't even prepared."

"The weevil's on the move."

"Let's roll Tosh."

Without the sedative coursing through its systems, the weevils seemed far more coherent than normal. The two teams sped along perpendicular streets, struggling to keep up with the shadowy weevil runners.

"They've stopped."

"Well, I guess this is the part where we get out and follow on foot."

"Right." Ianto nodded as he inhaled sharply, stepping out of the SUV they were parked in.

As the teams walked closer to the beeping monitor system, both teams noticed the same grey van, although one was above and one below.

Ianto was first to reach the back of the open van. "There's no sign of the weevils," he exclaimed as he circled the seemingly abandoned Chevy Astro.

"Weevils just don't disappear into thin air, Ianto."

"We're coming down Jack."

Jack looked toward the building above and nodded at Gwen. Ianto peered into the back of the van and disappeared into darkness.

"Ianto?" The door of the van offered a sharp bang as an answer, swinging, and Jack's grip on his gun and his jaw tightened.

Jack brought himself forward, only barely hearing the echoed steps of the rest of the Torchwood team as the black of unconsciousness took him.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack awoke with this unearthly nagging feeling rolling through his brains. Just how bloody stupid had he been? Of course it had been a trap. But who and why as of yet remained a mystery.

He took two breaths just to be sure, long and deep. The oxygen seemed to be in check. Next on the list was arms and legs. First, he wound his left wrist up and followed with his right, no restrictions found. So far the signs are looking good, he thought to himself. My luck will never hold. Jack took the first of many risks that night.

Captain Jack Harkness jumped into a push-up position and rolled himself off the floor onto his knees. No blood, no restrictions, and yet no light. The temperature was stable, and yet still no light. He shivered in spite of it. He checked his voice for a single note, that came out weak, still unable to make out what he was going for. Jack was thirsty out of fear, a harsh grating to his voice, as thought it hadn't been used for a long time. What day was it? Where was Ianto? Was he still on Earth?

In the echo of the endless night, Jack bellowed. "Ianto! Ianto!" The force of it sent him straight to his knees and he shivered again, vulnerable. The darkness drove him to the brink of fear, the brink of insanity. He struggled back to his feet, trying to find something in vain. Something tangible, perhaps a wall? Perhaps a wall.

He kept walking; the corridor seeming to go on forever. Each step was a little less labored, blood vessels waking from a slumber. He couldn't take it anymore. "Light!" And they beckoned to his call. And Jack wished he'd said nothing.

The light held the ferocity of a trembling hurricane, him being the exact center of the eye. Jack shielded himself futilely with his arms and waited. The noises, the sharp whistling stopped, and yet there was still light. He unclothes his eyes from beneath his skin and there he was. Ianto.

Behind a wall of blue ice was Ianto. A mirror reflection of himself, there was Ianto. Jack ran forward, grasping, but could not hold. He pounded against the glass, fist after fist. And still nothing answered. A mirror of Ianto. He looked around the room, spinning in insanity and grief. What is this?

Another piece of the puzzle answered. Another picture of Ianto in a different suit, a different point in time. They came, marching forward, until rows upon rows stacked together, an endless existence of Ianto. Jack grabbed forward in frenzy, seizing his own mind and fighting for control. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, he caught the sound of the buzz made by lighting. It calmed him just briefly enough.

He looked again at the first picture as it began to change poses. Ianto scratching his nose, Ianto leafing through files, Ianto reading his favorite book. What did it all mean? Under the light, Jack saw scaffolding, bathed in light from the glowing pictures of Ianto Jones. He climbed on the ladder, for no other reason than he could. He was met by yet another Ianto. He recognized the suit. Pink undershirt and blue striped tie. He'd seen Ianto wear it only twice, varying the shades but it was indeed the same suit.

Jack looked again at the first picture, and traced the outline in his mind. Rules of a twisted game began to form and he searched. He searched until he found it. Three rows up and to the left he climbed. There was that same portrait as the first. Ianto had gone back to looking through the book, cycling through the changes. Jack pounded the portrait with his fist. The portrait turned away and he slipped through the opening.

Jack awoke from a daze, the Torchwood team right behind him as they entered a metal tunnel. Ianto began to talk, and music began to take form behind him. What was going on?

"Cardiff Bay"

"Uh Huh." Owen nodded in agreement and encouragement to Ianto.

"Center of the universe." Jack had this strange sentiment flowing through him, and he chimed in.

"Sing it boy."

"Times are shitty, but I'm pretty sure they can't get worse."

"I hear that."

"It's a comfort to know, when you're singing the hit the road blues, that anywhere you could possibly go after Cardiff Bay would be ...a pleasure cruise."

"Now you're talking." For some reason, as they entered the subway car; Jack's lungs burst with the fire of song, and it began to spread.

_Well, I'm thwarted by a metaphysic puzzle_

_And I'm sick of catching aliens I know. _

_I'm shouting in my lack of sleep, where's my muzzle? _

_And all this misery pays no salary so..._

_Let's open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay_

_Sunny San Fran Bay would be nice_

_We'll open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay_

_And leave this to the weevils and mice_

Ianto gave Jack a quizzical sort of look as he sat in the seat beneath the pole Jack leaned on. "You hunt?"

He murmured, rather dejectedly. "Yeah, I hunt. With levels of high technology, when all I'd rather do is find the Doc."

Ianto raised an invisible glass and shrugged. "Cardiff." And the rest joined in the chant.

Jack turned to Gwen, and reached down for her hand. _You're as sensitive as they get, cook up trouble we ain't found yet._

Jack turned to Tosh. _You're a wizard with the keys, so give us rhyme._

Jack turned to Owen. _You're kinda dead, so you could be used as a drum._

"What about me?" Ianto turned and looked expectantly with a warm smile.

_You? You'll seat guests as they come._

_Chatting not about the Rifts, but soups today._

_Let's open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay_

_Our labors wouldn't take so much to spend_

They all took up the chant of _Spend, Spend, Spend!_

_We'll open up a restaurant in San Fran Bay_

_And save ourselves from soul-bound decay_

_We'll pack up all our junk_

_Let's fly so far today_

_Devote our hearts to helping where we can_

_We'll open up a cooking place in San Fran Bay_

_Forget the London Calling in our head_

As the singing and dancing died down, Jack headed back to the first pole he'd began to song out and began to whistle softly.

"Do you know the way to San Fran Bay?

You know, Ghirardelli...Golden Gate..."

"Yeah."

Jack's eyes fluttered as the subway car entered a dark tunnel and the vision faded. He found himself lurching forward back into the room of nothing. Once again, there was nothing. Nothing to grab or hold onto, and so he screamed again. He screamed for the light.

It swirled forth, and he in anger. As he unleashed his eyes from his arms again, he found the portraits had changed places. They were the same portraits, only slightly brighter compared to two that had no light. In a small shadow he saw the two pictures he had touched darkened. He swallowed and pounded another. Ianto on the day they had gone to the country. Ianto at one of his finest moments, brave and selfless. Maybe this was the answer, the way out of this tomb. This very odd tomb.

Jack found himself running as he slipped through the second portrait. He was running along a silver corridor, and suddenly the top and sides cut away. Jack found himself running the Wales Millennium Center in a panic and short of breath, tears nearly streaming down his cheeks. He saw the object of his panic before him. The Tardis was there. His Doctor was there. But who was that running behind him, nearly on his heels?

He stopped and turned as he reached the door. A frightened Ianto, eyes wide stood before him. He looked at the Doctor, who couldn't hide the radiant smile he bore, and looked back towards Ianto. Both men loved him, and he had the urge to stay with them both. Now what?

Ianto spoke, clutching his knees and in between ragged breaths, "Jack, why couldn't you have stayed calm, just for once? Did you have to go flying away like that? I hope you're happy."

Jack surged with rage over this decision. Did Ianto think this was easy? Jack looked down and clenched the fist that wasn't holding the door handle. Ianto continued to talk. "I hope you're happy. I hope you're happy now. I hope you're happy how you're wrapped in your cause forever. I hope you think you're clever."

Jack could barely retort instead of spitting venom. "I hope you're happy, Ianto. I hope you're happy too. I hope you're proud how you learned nothing but submission, don't have your own ambition."

They spoke shocking words at the same time, reaching into each other's eyes as Ianto found the breath to stand. "So though I can't imagine how, I hope you're happy right now."

"Jack, you've got to listen to me. You don't even have to say that you're sorry."

_You can still lead us at Torchwood._

_What you've worked so hard to do_

_You can have all the things you need here_

Jack looked down at his unclenched fist. "I know"

_But I don't want this_

_No, I can't want this anymore_

_Something in my heart is different_

_Something beyond recall_

_I'm through with playing _

_The rules of someone else's game_

_It's too late for second guessing_

_I couldn't even sleep_

_I have to trust these instincts_

_Close my eyes and leap!_

_It's time to try defying gravity_

_I think I'll try defying gravity_

_And you can't pull me down!_

Ianto backed up just briefly and then brought his head forward, forcing himself to speak.

_Can't I make you understand?_

_We can figure this out together_

Jack shook his head, wanting it but knowing nothing was the same.

_I can't accept your limits_

_Just cause you all need me so_

_Some things just can't be altered_

_But I must try, so that I know_

_Too long I've been afraid of_

_Losing love I guess I've lost_

_But if that's love_

_It comes at much too high a cost_

_I'd sooner by defying gravity_

_Kiss me goodbye_

_I'm defying gravity_

_And you won't pull me down_

Jack had an idea, a spark of genius and he grabbed Ianto's hand, pulling him inside the Tardis and closing the door behind them. "Come with me; think of what we could do together!"

_Unlimited-together we're unlimited_

_Together we'll be the greatest pair there's ever been_

_Ianto_

He couldn't resist. It was so infectious, and in his heart, Ianto needed his Captain. Needed to be with his Captain.

_Dreams, the way we planned them_

_If we work in tandem_

_There's no fight we cannot win_

Even the Doctor and Rose, who had grabbed complete hold of each other and were watching the pair, joined the song as Jack brought Ianto into the circle.

_Just all of us Defying Gravity_

_All of us Defying Gravity_

_They'll never bring us down_

Ianto let a small smile escape his lips, like air deflating from a faithful tire. He fought the tears that were coming as he walked backwards towards the door. Worry lined the usually bright eyes of Jack Harkness. "Well, Ianto, are you coming?"

Ianto shook his head as he exited, not bothering to look, beginning to sob into his cuff and shaking. He felt a hand coming from a warm light and turned to see Jack. The two men embraced and Ianto did his best to stand.

_I hope you're happy_

_Now that you're choosing this._

Ianto looked back. Tosh, Owen, and Gwen had caught them on the spot they were. He looked to his team and then back to Ianto. Gwen handed Ianto Jack's jacket. "It'll be cold without this, in, wherever it is this thing takes you, Jack."

_You too. _

_I hope it brings you bliss._

Ianto stepped back and felt Tosh's arm going around his shoulder, a paltry comfort. They held as Jack sang to his team and they back to him.

_I really hope you get it_

_And you don't live to regret it_

_I hope you're happy in the end_

_I hope you're happy my friend_

Jack began a feverish climb to the top of the Tardis as he heard the familiar sounds of motion begin to churn. Ianto ran back towards him and held his leg. Jack bent down for one last kiss and then pushed Ianto gently away. He felt his faithful friend melt away and the colors of the Vortex began to swirl around him.

_So if you care to find me_

_Look to the Spacial Skies_

_As a trusted friend once told me_

_Everyone deserves the chance to fly_

_And if I'm flying solo_

_At least I'm flying free_

_To those who ground me take a message back for me_

_Tell them how I am defying gravity_

_I'm flying high defying gravity_

_And nobody, nothing from the Rift_

_No master with any discernible gift_

_Is ever gonna bring me down!_

He swore he heard Ianto yell. "I hope you're happy."

_Nobody will ever bring me down!_

"Look at him, he's flying!"

_Down!_


	4. Chapter 4

Captain Jack Harkness was stubborn, if nothing else. Jack Harkness was not letting this one go. Jack was pissed. The hurricane of pictures and lights in the mysterious room continued to twirl, pair after pair. He loathed the games, the dreadful thoughts of things happening to Ianto while he was forced to play. That hurt him more than anything.

One pair remained. With dead confidence and blazing eyes, Jack stepped forward. This Ianto was checking his watch. This was the Ianto from the theater where the Night walkers had been released. The two pictures hung side by side, ready to be stepped through. His fingers left a slight indent of red, proof of his hitting prowess and the amount he'd used tonight. He walked through the blackness, but did not fall.

Jack had gone through these musical doorways many times. He had ridden a subway car, walked on top of the Tardis, raced downhill through the snow, and had even been a flower. But this sight stopped him. Jack stood on a balcony, the heavens before him. The pure white of the balcony lay in contrast to the dark blues and swirling twinkle of the cosmos. He could hear the piano behind him.

Jack turned into the room, walking slowly to where Ianto sat, playing deftly and sweetly. Jack went to touch his shoulder and announce his presence, but he could not. His hand passed through Ianto. What would he do now, knowing there were no doors left? Jack whispered Ianto's name, hoping, praying for a miracle.

_There were nights when the wind was so cold_

_That my body froze in bed if I just listened to it right outside the window._

Ianto was singing, looking directly at Jack, who was clutching the piano to remain upright. The nausea of the situation, the lack of food and dehydration all beginning to take their toll.

_There were days when the sun was so cruel_

_All the tears turned to dust and I just knew my eyes_

_Were drying up forever_

_I finished crying in the instant that you left_

_And I can't remember where or when or how_

_And I banished every memory you and I had ever made_

Ianto rose and the piano continued to play. The thunder of slamming doors echoed in his footsteps as the large windows closed away the balcony. The fire, the angry hurt in Ianto's eyes made Jack walk backwards until he pressed himself against the glass. Ianto's hands swept across the air, seeming to wipe the memories from his eyes. His palm pressed against the glass. His lips were inches away from a gasping Jack. The coolness of Ianto's touch that near him caused him to go short of breath.

_But when you touch me like this_

_And you hold me like that_

_I just have to admit _

_That it's all coming back to me now_

_When I touch you like this_

_And I hold you like that_

_It's so hard to believe_

_But it's all coming back to me_

His eyes softened from anger to pity, and then towards need. His lips hung so close to Jack. His hand swept across Jack's cheek, leaving tingles and aches all up and down Jack's body. Ianto turned away, pushed himself from the Captain, using the air between them as momentum. Ianto clutched himself at the pain, the reality of the words he sang.

_There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light_

_There were things I'd never do again_

_But then they'd always seemed right_

_There were nights of endless pleasure_

_It was more than any lousy love_

_Baby, if I kiss you like this_

_And if you whisper like that_

_It was lost long ago_

_But it's all coming back to me_

_It's so hard to resist _

_And it's all coming back to me_

_I can barely recall_

_But it's all coming back to me now_

Ianto slammed his lips back into Jack after moving back closer again, slowly and violently. Jack could feel something coming over him, washing him clean. Ianto turned his head away quickly, his face showing shades of embarrassment over his need for Jack. The sound of violins played in the background, in fervent tempo with the sounds of the piano cascading through the room.

_But you were history with the slamming of the door_

_And I made myself so strong again somehow_

_And I never wasted any of my time on you since then_

Jack watched helplessly as Ianto chastised himself and then began to walk towards an open door at the far end of the room. He ran after Ianto, shadowed him, desperate to not let him get away. Ianto turned again to face Jack.

_But if I touch you like this_

_And if you kiss me like that_

_It was so long ago, but it's all coming back to me_

_If you touch me like this_

_And if I kiss you like that_

_It was gone with the wind_

_but it's all coming back to me_

He was wrapped in the silver joys of loving Ianto. He struggled as he was lifted in the air by curtains, suspended, watching Ianto being lifted up with him. They struggled with each other, with themselves, tangled in curtains, hovering over the floor, mere inches from the other's body.

_There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light_

_There were things we've never do again_

_But then they'd always seemed right_

_There were nights of endless pleasure_

_It was more than all your lousy love_

It was all too much of a thunderous expose, leaving Jack feeling so naked. Ianto brought himself forward and he kissed Jack. Jack felt his love beyond the winter and the doubt. He sighed, no longer weary or hungry.

Jack felt himself falling into darkness again; watching helplessly as Ianto was lifted away. He reached through his tangled mass of curtain, but couldn't reach the man he loved.

_If you forgive me all this_

_If I forgive you all that_

_We forgive and forget and _

_it's all coming back to me_

He growled as he hit the floor of the dark room again. He didn't curse the room, nor call for light. He just sat there, perched on his knees, and growled in anguish and anger. His entire body felt heavy, his hands moving closer and closer to the floor. Jack felt the metal of his ring and heard the clang as it hit the floor. He looked at the signet, remembering what "Rose" had written when she had sent him the pocket watch and ring.

He took a ragged breath and concentrated, holding the ring close to his heart. He closed his eyes and felt a warmth invade his spirit. He stood and opened his eyes. All the pictures were lit again without him even calling for them. They each held a pocket watch and each watch glowed equally with the others, causing an almost blinding effect to hit the room.

Jack ran without touching them, endless rows of pictures. He continued to run and then his anger took over again. He formed a fist and used his ring to being slicing through the glass. His knuckles began to run along the rows, creating tiny cracks that led to bigger cracks. The ring sliced through the glowing pictures. As Jack saw a final light, thousands upon thousands of cracks turned into broken glass. The glass rained down upon him as fine as snow.

Jack ran for the open doorway. His footsteps echoed as the glass matted itself into his air and all around his eyes. He shook as he crossed the thresh hold and braced himself for the next impact.

First there was darkness.

Then there was clapping.


	5. Chapter 5

Creator's Note:

Pip, the beta reader with the mostest, is back! She dutifully finished all of this (informing me that she thought I was in fact trying to kill her with the next two chapters of content) and then begged for an epilogue. Her wish is my command, I suppose.

You should know that I love Ianto. And that I'm posting chapters 5 and 6 together (seperately, but at the same time). You'll see why.

The song in the last chapter is by Celine Dion. It was the first song I ever heard that really captivated me, and that chapter seemed like a perfect excuse. Pip advises (and I agree) that listening to the song extends the chapter beautifully. If you don't have it; you should anyways.

--On With the Show!--

"Where's Ianto?"

"Manners, Mr. Harkness. You've been on board long enough without them. I'd suggest you'd acquire some, quickly."

"Where's Ianto?"

"Come, come Jack. You aren't the least bit curious where you are?" Jack's shoulders surged forward with anger, but the gravitational force of the anxiety and the tension of the anger itself forced them down. "That's better."

The darkness gave way to the dimmest of light. Somewhere near Jack, a mechanical gear was whirring and something in front of Jack was being pulled downwards. Something was coming.

She was beautiful, so beautiful that she was ugly and ghastly. Her nose was sharp, as was her tongue, and her hair flowed like liquid oil. Her skin was the color of snow's infestation. At least, if it was a her. There was something frightening and androgynous in the way she dressed.

"Who are you?" Jack looked down and clenched his fists, leaving both his trademark charm and his cool nature in the entryway.

"Tsk, tsk. Is this any way for a Captain to act? Surely you have more than a three word vocabulary."

"Where is Ianto? I won't ask again."

"Fine, then." She sighed, giving up the witty and warped conversation she had hoped for. "My name is Executioner Deirdre. And I'm here to dispose of you and your little, how did Owen refer to him, tea boy?"

"Don't you dare talk about Ianto."

"How quaint. You're attached to him." Jack rushed forward, but bounced off of a shield surrounding a chair.

"Ah, ah. Mr. Harkness. One brutal assault at a time. I'll have to get replacements for the mirrors you broke, by the way. Now, Let's not go breaking my chair with a view."

Jack raised his gun from his boot and aimed it, nostrils flaring. "Release us or I shoot."

"I don't think you'll be doing that either."

"And why not?"

"Because." Deirdre swiveled in her chair, pressing a button. The wall slid, revealing that they were hovering over the Earth. "Then you'd kill him too."

Behind Jack, a light glowed down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ianto's hand, struggling through manacles chained to a wall.

"What do you want?"

"First, Put the gun back where it belongs, Captain Harkness." Jack begrudgingly did so, and then bore up to his full height.

"Delightful. Since you've asked a new question, thankfully, I will inform you. I am what you would call attuned with the so called Time Lords. I was hired to act as mercenary for them and their companions. Funnily enough, your name came up. Can you imagine why?"

Jack thought of the Game Station, the Master, various scenarios on multiple earths he had been involved in, and his stance became less easy. Was Ianto in all this trouble because of him?

Deirdre continued unmercifully with her verbal assault. "Con man to reformed hero to immortal. Oh, it's a sweet story isn't it? A cozy ending becoming leader of Torchwood. Everything was going to so well, wasn't it?" She paused for dramatic effect, drinking in the horrid emotions seeping through the men. "Well, that do-gooding cousin of mine Bella Rosa just had to get involved. Luckily though, that brought you to my attention. After you, that leaves Donna, Martha, Rose, and her kin. Then, the last of the Time Lords and affected companions will drown in the pages of history."

"Why?" Jack's jaw tightened. He had no repertoire, no witty comeback ready. He just wanted Ianto out.

"Because the Creator pays well."

"Who is this Creator? Why does he want to extinguish the last of the Time Lords?"

"To orchestrate a purging of the systems. You all seem to think living in a grey world is completely acceptable. He finds this to be a _minor _inconvenience of altruism. He wishes to restore a purely black and white order. As such, he adopted the name Othello, after your charming Earth game."

"Then you want me. Let Ianto go and you can have me."

"Jack, no!" Ianto struggled feverishly.

"How sweet. He returns the sentiment. No, see, to capture you, I needed bait. And the one who would give of himself for Captain Jack Harkness seems like perfect bait to me!"

At least she didn't cackle, Jack thought to himself, villains that cackle are so passe.

"What now, then?"

"Why Ianto!" Her voice chortled in mock delight, chased by rage. "How brave of you to speak to me, you worthless terrestrial worm. I destroy your beloved then bring you to Othello as a pet. Then you will spend your life using your organizational abilities in the court of the Majestic New Creator."

"That won't be happening."

"And how do you plan to stop me, Harkness?"

"Give me a minute. I'll find a way."

"Bold words. Too bad, she reached to the side of her chair, that I'm the only one with weapons that work on an airborne star ship."

Ianto worked feverishly to free himself. He bit his manacles, he bit on his wrists, he tried taking running leaps from the wall and only ended up stretching himself farther and farther to the brink of madness. Seeing a weapon being pulled on Jack was the last straw. He'd regenerate yes, but to what cost? Millions upon millions of deaths? This had to stop before it even began.

"You can't kill me. You said so yourself."

"Yes. I do understand the unfortunate circumstances of your unique position in the circle of life and death, but do not fear. This gun is packed with the fusion star pellets of Althacian Order Planet Number Six. They specialized in weaponry to destroy the Time Lords. This will stop your heart dead, not even making your brain or blood aware it can regenerate. Even if you were to come back, you'd be so dumb that you wouldn't even be able to breathe properly."

Jack gasped, fear gripping his eyes.

"So, you see, Captain Jack Harkness, everyone can die of something. It's only a matter of what."

Deirdre pulled her weapon and aimed straight for Jack's head. He froze.

"Pleasant dreams, Captain."

"Jack, no!" Ianto freed himself of his restraints. Jack saw him running, but couldn't stop him in time. Little drops fell from his wrists and beneath his pants, blood creating a trail from where he ran to the place where he had been shackled.

The world stopped in a single breath and Dierdre pulled the trigger.

Ianto jumped in the way as the pellets collided with his body. There was a burst of air and a tremendous blue shock wave. Ianto Jones, front man and organized tea bringer of Torchwood, was vaporized into a thousand tiny crystals.

They fell before Jack in a sea of tears. The only thing that was not vaporized was the pocket watch.

Jack hit the floor, his composure knocked completely through.

Deirdre would have cackled horridly if it weren't for the watch beginning to glow. Bella Rosa must have accounted for such an unfortunate situation. If that were the case, Jack would never know. But the watch and the ring were magnetized to each other and his hand fell over Ianto's "ashes".

The space where Jack and Ianto were lit gold, like a righteous fire, burning with all the indignation the Tardis showed the Daleks and the Cyber men, all evil alike. He screamed as the torturous affects of sadness, hope, and vengeance all flowed through him. To lose someone he loved, but someone who had endured so much sorrow, it was vindication and a raw nerve of pain in the same blurring blend of emotion.

He looked up at Dierdre and didn't even bother to stand. She gulped, tasting the sentient version of fear she had never before known.

Jack rolled back his fist as it glowed bright yellow.

He destroyed her in one punch that went right through her head and stopped short of the window showing the shadow of Earth.

The home world of Torchwood Three.


	6. Chapter 6

"What is going on in there? It's been three days! And where is Ianto?" Owen had taken up the hobby of pacing in Jack and Ianto's absence.

"If Jack knew, he'd tell us." Tosh tried to be optimistic, but serious misgivings held in her voice. Jack had never been one for great details about the mysterious.

Gwen spoke, looking at the closed blinds to the office. "He knows. Something has happened."

"Go and find out then! He always liked you more than any of us. Well, except for the Doctor and Ianto." Owen stopped pacing just long enough to glare at her slightly, too tired to send a full-force glare Gwen's way.

"You can't be serious, Owen. He's our friend." Gwen made a disgusted face in his direction.

"Owen is right. Obviously, something disturbing happened. More than one person at a time might disturb something fragile. I think it would be for the best." Tosh nodded her head slowly and semi-brightly. Gwen put her hands up in surrender.

"Fine, gang up on me and make me the insensitive one. I'll take coffee. Maybe coffee will get him to talk."

Gwen tapped the door softly and waited. There was no response. She tapped it again.

"Come in." The voice was soft and broken, cracking on the first syllable, on the other side of the door.

Jack sat in his chair, feet on the desk, hand near his chin in a darkly thoughtful pose. Gwen supposed he'd been sleeping even less than normal. His eyes held no charm or a gaze of any kind. He looked beyond the room. For three days, Gwen had kept tabs. Every so often she'd watch Jack raise the blue vase on his left to eye level. He contemplated with it, as if it were a skull and Jack was deciding if it was to be or not to be. Only, there were so many more questions than answers.

Gwen sat unsteadily across from him. "I've, I've brought you a coffee."

Jack brought it to his lips and allowed the weak, sugary brew to dribble down his shirt. He mumbled something.

"Tell me what's happened Jack." Gwen brought her hand down over his, rubbing his knuckles with her thumb.

He looked into her eyes and then looked down at his hand encapsulated by hers. He looked back into her eyes and seemed to teeter on the brink of tears. Then he pushed himself away.

"Don't touch me."

"Jack, what's happened to Ianto? Where is he?"

"Ianto's here. The place where he gave his life, his all, his every moment, and most of all, Jack held the vase to his face and watched the light reflect through the granules inside, his love."

"Is Ianto..." Gwen indicated at the vase with her eyes and a horrified nod, refusing to use the word.

Jack bit his lip, barely having the strength to move his head up and down. Tears raked down his cheek, pooling around the fresh coffee stains.

"Oh, Jack," she ran towards him to hug him.

"Don't touch me! Don't touch me or you might be next!"

"This is madness, Jack! You can't really believe..."

"It's all my fault. He was there because of me. It's always my fault."

Gwen slapped him hard across the face. The shades of pain that her slap sent ringing through Jack's core caused her to grimace. The glaze in his eyes seemed to envelop back into his body. He focused on Gwen's nervous sorrow and the room for the first time in three days. "Sorry."

"No, no. Thank you. I think I needed that." Jack rubbed his hand across the reddened cheek. "That's the second time I've been slapped like that. It kinda hurts."

"What happened Jack?"

"He died ... He died saving me. I don't even know if this is the end. He sacrificed himself for nothing."

"It wasn't for nothing, Jack. He sacrificed himself so you might go on."

_Lay down, your sweet and weary head_

_Night is falling_

_You have come to journey's end._

Jack could hear it beyond his office. A brief snippet of something he remembered hearing on Owen's music player once. Oddly enough, it was the closest thing to classical music he could still stand to listen to. He opened himself to it. He opened himself so that Gwen might know, so that they all might know. He'd tell the world if need be.

_Sleep now, and dream of the ones who came before_

_They are calling_

_From across a distant shore._

"Deirdre must have had telepathic abilities controlling the ship. Once her mind had been broken, the systems began to flash and fail. I searched for something, somewhere to put him. I wouldn't let him just die on the ship. I wouldn't just leave him to the cold fate of space."

_Why do you weep?_

_What are these tears upon your face?_

_Soon you will see_

_All of your fears will pass away_

_Safe in my arms, you're only sleeping._

"There was one escape pod." Jack peered beyond his door. He could see one half of Tosh through the doorway, waiting expectantly for an answer or a sign. He moved toward her as he spoke. "It was unusual to have an escape pod in such a craft, but I expect she had one for her line of business. I cradled the vase to me as the propulsion system brought us into the atmosphere." He clutched the top of the vase as he spoke.

"You didn't have much control did you, cradling the vase? You didn't want to bother with steering, didn't care if there was an explosion or if people wondered." Tosh spoke for him, echoing the sentiments bottled in his throat.

"Just enough control to bring you crashing down into the Millennium Center. Because the man you loved was dead." Owen didn't have the courage, but said it. Bitter words that stung and stuck to his lips.

"Ianto." He offered up the blue vase, swirled stripes of incandescent purple shining through the granules of Ianto's funeral pyre. Jack felt Gwen's hand cover his again, standing opposite of him. Owen's forehead linked with his, manly sighs forming and slight tears coming from his eyes. Tosh's hand slid around his waist. There was a moment of silence, a moment of bereavement. A moment of brilliant memory. No more beautiful eulogy can be written for the ones who change us the most than the love we always possess for them in our hearts, if not our words and deeds.

_What can you see, on the horizon?_

_Why do the white gulls call?_

_Across the sea, a pale moon rises._

_The ships have come, to carry you home._

One by one, they let go, until Jack held Ianto where he belonged, by his side.

"Do you want us to come with you?"

Jack put his hand on Owen's shoulder and shook his head, a weak smile forming.

"No. This is something I have to do."

"Let me give you a lift, then." Gwen took his arm and guided them both onto the lift. Myfanway called out a song of despair as the pair ascended back into the dark Cardiff twilight. It was early evening, Jack could hear the rain as they came up to the surface. It was a light mist, not enough to obstruct but enough to be noticed.

"This is where it all started. When you came. Where everything changed."

"Feeling sentimental?" Jack gave her a sidelong glance, as if questioning her existence. "If you need anything..."

"Just time."

"Time is one gift I can give you." Gwen kissed him, briefly, a mournful kiss of understanding. It was better than any kiss of seduction she had ever given. "Go give him what he deserved. Torchwood's not going anywhere."

"He was Torchwood."

Gwen turned up the Captain's collar from the rain as they stepped outside the lift. "We all are. All of us are connected. Nothing will be the same for any of us."

As Jack walked away, she heard him. "You're right. Nothing will ever be the same again."

_And all will turn, to silver glass_

_A light on the water._

_All souls pass._

The man that rented him the rowboat was half-asleep, otherwise he wouldn't have rented it. The water was calm, but dark and fueled by grief. Thunder overcame the waves and for a second, all was calm. Jack stood, far from shore in Cardiff Bay, and released the stopper. The last of his available tears fell, but the ghosts of the tears he had no water left for, they remained, staining his cheeks. He thought of words, of so many words. But none of them fit, none of them could ever be important enough.

_Hope fades, into the world of night_

_Through shadows falling, out of memory and time._

_Don't say, we have come now to the end_

_White shores are calling._

_You and I will meet again._

_And you'll be here in my arms, just sleeping._

The pocket watch weighed his jacket down. He released it and watched the seconds tick away into nothingness. It ceased to make a noise, which was just fine with Jack. He closed his eyes slowly and threw the vase. He heard the vase and the sprinkling of the ashes as they hit the water. The ripples met the sides of the boat and it rocked gently in the broken night. One note of thunder sounded. Jack looked at the watch and knew he couldn't keep it anymore. Though tempted, he threw it as well. It reflected the beams of the moon as the clouds parted, just briefly, giving Jack an unobstructed view so close he believed that he could have touched it.

_What can you see, on the horizon?_

_Why do the white gulls call?_

Halfway between his fingertips and the ripples of Ianto's ashes, a great bolt of lightning seared forth into the watch. Jack fell to his knees in agony. He had not the strength to cry as the boat rocked back and forth, slightly more than gently. The rain mingled with his dried tears. He shivered in spite of his normally warm skin.

_Across the sea, a pale moon rises._

_The ships have come to carry you home._

Jack was knocked on his side by a lurch in the boat. He looked around at the obsidian nothingness that surrounded him. He felt hopeless, small for the first time in his life. He was frightened and heart-broken. A figure emerged from behind him, coming out of the black water. Jack looked, gasping, as fingers grabbed onto the side of boat and hauled themselves up. The figure shrouded in water, crawled into the boat.

"_Ianto?_"


	7. Chapter 7

Pip's Epilogue:

The boat rocked forward beneath us. Alone on the waves, my grin remained, so radiant that it blocked the moon just briefly. The storm returned, a useless drizzle, and sweetening the first kiss we had shared. Both exhausted, we laid down together in that little dinghy.

I can still remember that feeling with him beside me. In those first seconds, the marvel that hid through his eyes and passed between us danced upon the sea. A miracle had been struck upon; our miracle had become reality.

I removed Ianto's coat, slipping my hands gently beneath his arms. His breath fell against my bangs, whispering through my ears. Relief and need spread through our touch. I lingered beneath his arms, his wet back pressed against my chest. Ianto's shirt was nearly sheer, just enough because I knew every coursing vein and every subtle breath. Just enough because I knew I loved him.

He huddled in close, his eyes dosing and his head bobbing in the invisible and inevitable wind. Dying and living again can be an exhaustive process. I grinned even larger. I thought about how tired he must have been, but how fear had reigned for so long that he didn't want to lose this image of me. Of his time alone with Captain Jack Harkness.

I threw his coat over the pair of us. His head rested against my stomach as my back felt the bridge of the wood. The part in his hair fell into the crook of my elbow and I could feel the pressure of his silent snores. Together, we faced the night on Cardiff Bay.

The first rays of the dawn were misty. He shivered beneath me, pale but not sick. We awoke to the clunk of the boat hitting some sort of rock. A desolate inlet lay before us. A dry, nearly sand-less cave was where he peeked through my arm to see.

I began to survey the beach for drift wood to build a fire.

"What's happened to me Jack?"

"I don't know Ianto. All I know is that we're both alive."

"When I died..."

"You don't have to talk about this."

"Yes, I want to. I want to tell you." The truth in his eyes, the sincerity, made my heart beat a little faster. "When I died, all I could see and feel was that unnatural look of fear she held over you. All I wanted was your safety. All I wanted was you."

I snuggled myself into his neck as the fire began to light the cave, the warmth of the sun adding fuel to our joy.

"What now?"

"They aren't expecting us back anytime soon."

"I'd say they aren't expecting us at all."

I chuckled softly. "No, I suppose they wouldn't be."

"Can we have forever now, Jack?"

"In every kiss you give me I see forever." My lips caressed his jaw bone and he looked at me curiously.

"Just back from the dead and already you're trying to get into my knickers?" I was stunned.

He turned back to me. "I think it's my turn now. I owe you a _later_."

His body slid over mine, kicking the fire completely out and replacing that warmth with his love. His body was cooler to the touch than I expected, but he was there. I tilted my head back, never daring to take my eyes away from his.

He groaned and I felt the resonance across my skin. His hands reached under my shirt, tracing my ribcage with maddening accuracy and painful sloth. Ianto lifted my shirt from my skin and threw it closer to the sun. We chased ourselves into the shadow of the cave, traces of light guiding our wandering bites and lustful eyes.

Ianto's definition and tone dazzled me. How often had I taken his forearms, the area between his neck and shoulders, his pecs, for granted? I could no longer afford such an error.

"I love you, Ianto Jones."

"I need you, Captain Jack Harkness."

My kiss worked its way from his belly button all the way to the crease between his shoulders and up farther to the bridge of his nose. He turned away and I admired each freckle dotting his back. I admired the ridges his spine formed against his back. I traced each, matching his pace with my fingertips. He sighed as I began to nuzzle the side of his neck with my teeth. His hands grasped for the walls of our cave, for leverage.

Ianto's body responded to the change in our position. I brought my arms around his middle as my lower half encompassed his. I could feel something inside of me growing larger, and not just my erection. Every part of me was being exercised and growing. Small beads of sweat began to drop as the sun began to heat the cave. I glistened against the cool of his body.

His fingertips grazed the walls. A small portion of sand fell to his knees and he brought his hand forward, studying it. I clasped his hand in mine, watching with the same interest. The sand that had fallen blew back and retained itself into the shape of his fingertips. His face lit strongly against the sun.

His smile was more radiant than I could have dreamed. "Can we have forever Jack?"

"I believe so, Ianto. I believe so, _my love_." The shiver that began from the tone of those words extended itself from him through me, as though connected by lightning.

He turned and began to unzip my trousers. He smiled a wicked smile, full of anticipation.

"Be careful what you start, Mr. Jones."

"One should always be careful around you, Captain Jack."

I was hard against his belly as he came in for another kiss. I can still remember to this second the reaction that traced itself through my blood. My fingers trembled and itched, every second encapsulated with heightened touch.

Ianto unsheathed himself next. Apparently, it was unfair unless we were both naked. Who was I to complain?

His dick was larger than I could remember it ever being, possibly over-shadowing mine. His hands reached for us both at the same time, his infuriating pace beginning again as he leaned towards me. He ground his hardness against every bit of my sanity and restraint.

I took his wrists and we tussled for control, but just momentarily. He bit his lip as he lost the war and fell back against the cave. I positioned my head and took as much of him into my mouth as I could. I used my tongue to trace every new vein, every second of need from tip to root. He squirmed as I engulfed his sac.

"I want you."

I came back up for air and his face showed a warning. Neither of us wanted this to end so quickly. So I kissed him again, allowing our members to reacquaint themselves with touch. His hand reached for the small of my back and I laid down over him, my hands grabbing the floor of cave, resting momentarily.

He won the next round of control. And his reward was mine as well. I felt his lips caress my foreskin. I felt his tongue dance and swirl over my head. I felt things that I don't feel very often, can only describe in blissful sighs in words the English language doesn't seem to have.

Ianto's face arose, flushed and I wondered how long I would remain without succumbing to that ultimate rush of togetherness. Each second that passed, each stolen touch and piercing lustful gaze wore down our resistance.

I caved first. I entered Ianto again, his feet sliding behind either side of my ribcage. The tightness wound itself around my cock and there was this rush of perfection. His elbows gave him the leverage to move in tandem. The rush of pheromones created so much sweat that I thought he was finally sweating as well.

It wasn't just one second. It was a symphony of moments that joined in our lustful concerto, seeming to change everything. It was more than just sex. The entire day we spent in positions and friendly power plays. I would come close and he would edge back. Our love went with the tides, so frighteningly close.

It was in that last moment of rest as we were both lit by the shadows of the moon again that I heard him whisper as my arm went around his abs and he faced the new driftwood fire.

"_I love you Jack_."


End file.
